Chapter XIII.—The first order of production maintained by the heretics is
altogether indefensible.
1. I now proceed to show, as follows, that the first order of production, as conceived of
by them, must be rejected. For they maintain that Nous and Aletheia were produced from
Bythus and his Ennœa, which is proved to be a contradiction. For Nous is that which is itself
chief, and highest, and, as it were, the principle and source of all understanding. Ennœa,
again, which arises from him, is any sort of emotion concerning any subject. It cannot be,
therefore, that Nous was produced by Bythus and Ennœa; it would be more like the truth
for them to maintain that Ennœa was produced as the daughter of the Propator and this
Nous. For Ennœa is not the daughter of Nous, as they assert, but Nous becomes the father
of Ennœa. For how can Nous have been produced by the Propator, when he holds the chief
and primary place of that hidden and invisible affection which is within Him? By this affection
sense is produced, and Ennœa, and Enthymesis, and other things which are simply synonyms
for Nous himself. As I have said already, they are merely certain definite exercises in thought
of that very power concerning some particular subject. We understand the [several] terms
according to their395 length and breadth of meaning, not according to any [fundamental]
change [of signification]; and the [various exercises of thought] are limited by [the same
sphere of] knowledge, and are expressed together by [the same] term, the [very same] sense
remaining within, and creating, and administering, and freely governing even by its own
power, and as it pleases, the things which have been previously mentioned.
2. For the first exercise of that [power] respecting anything, is styled Ennœa; but when
it continues, and gathers strength, and takes possession of the whole soul, it is called En-
thymesis. This Enthymesis, again, when it exercises itself a long time on the same point,
and has, as it were, been proved, is named Sensation. And this Sensation, when it is much
developed, becomes Counsel. The increase, again, and greatly developed exercise of this
Counsel becomes the Examination of thought (Judgment); and this remaining in the mind
is most properly termed Logos (reason), from which the spoken Logos (word) proceeds.396
But all the [exercises of thought] which have been mentioned are [fundamentally] one and
the same, receiving their origin from Nous, and obtaining [different] appellation according
to their increase. Just as the human body, which is at one time young, then in the prime of
life, and then old, has received [different] appellations according to its increase and continu-
395 This sentence appears to us, after long study, totally untranslateable. The general meaning seems to be,
that whatever name is given to mental acts, whether they are called Ennœa, Enthymesis, or by whatever other
appellation, they are all but exercises of the same fundamental power, styled Nous. Compare the following section.
396 “The following,” says Harvey, “may be considered to be consecutive steps in the evolution of λόγος as a
psychological entity. Ennœa, conception; Enthymesis, intention; Sensation, thought; Consilium, reasoning; Co-
gitationis Examinatio, judgment; in Mente Perseverans, Λόγος ἐνδιάθετος; Emissibile Verbum, Λόγος προφοικός.”
Chapter XIII.—The first order of production maintained by the heretics is altogether indefensible.
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Chapter XIII.—The first order of production maintained by the heretics is…